Background
Sanjaya Rajaram was born in 1943 near a small farming village in the state of Uttar Pradesh in northern India.
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Sanjaya Rajaram
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He was awarded this prize for his scientific research in developing 480 wheat varieties that have been released in 51 countries. This innovation has led to an increase in world wheat production – by more than 200 million tons – building upon the successes of the Green Revolution. Rajaram went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in agriculture from the University of Gorakhpur, a Master of Science in genetics and plant breeding from the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (Indian Agricultural Research Institute) in New Delhi and a Doctor of Philosophy in plant breeding from the University of Sydney.
While at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute in 1964, he studied genetics and plant breeding under Professor
Master of Surgery Swaminathan. In 1969 Rajaram began working as a wheat breeder at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center in Mexico. He worked alongside scientist Norman Borlaug, in experimental wheat fields in El Batan (Texcoco), in Toluca and Ciudad Obregon, Sonora, and became director of International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center in 1972 at the age of 29.
After 33 years at International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center, including seven as Director of the Global Wheat Program, Rajaram joined the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) as Director of Integrated Gene Management before formally retiring in 2008. During his distinguished career, Rajaram’s work resulted in the release of more than 480 varieties of bread wheat in 51 countries, which are grown on more than 58 million hectares worldwide.
Rajaram is also the owner and director of Resource Seed Mexicana, a small private company specializing in wheat development and promotion.
Achievements
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Born
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Nationality
Mexico
Awards
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World Food Prize World Food Prize; Padma Shri
The World Food Prize is an international award recognizing the achievements of individuals who have advanced human development by improving the quality, quantity, or availability of food in the world.The World Food Prize is an international award recognizing the achievements of individuals who have advanced human development by improving the quality, quantity, or availability of food in the world.